Snowflakes
by Jachien
Summary: Second and Final Chapter is Up! Everyone moves away and Sakura is thinking about what her life will be like with no one. She ends up in the park on a winter night. S+S.
1. Softly Falling

The characters belong to CLAMP. Well, at least until I can make a machine to go back in time, steal the idea and story line, create the whole series and do it with my own slight alterations, changing everything I don't like, and fixing... nevermind, it's easier to just write the disclaimer. THEY AREN'T MINE! 

**Snowflakes**

It was around 7pm and Sakura sat looking out her window. It was snowing again. Soft white flakes descended slowly to the ground, unaware of the troubles of the 16 year old. She sighed and got up, maybe a walk would clear her head. Descending the stairs she left a note for her brother and pulled her coat out of the closet. She found her gloves and scarf but not her hat. "oh well, I'll only be out for a while", she murmured to herself. 

It was a little colder than she had expected, but that thought barely registered. Her mind was already focused on other things. Soon she would be living alone. She never thought this would happen. Her brother would be going away to college and Yukito was going with him. Her dad had been promoted and he would be traveling all the time. She would only see him two to three times a month. Even Syaoran was leaving. His mother was forcing him to come home to take his place as leader of the Royal Li Clan in Hong Kong. Her best friend had fallen in love with Eriol and the both of them had gone to live at Eriol's true home in England. Although she was happy for Tomoyo, she missed her greatly. 

Sakura looked up and noticed that she had walked all the way to the park. Not wanting to head home yet she took a seat on one of the swings, her arms holding onto the chains. She was tired. Not physically, but emotionally. So when her head drooped forwards and sleep overtook her, she didn't have the will power to fight it. 

Syaoran groaned. The sign in the window of the grocery store clearly said 'Closed'. He looked at his watch, five minutes after eight. "Damn" he cursed under his breath. Kicking at a clump of snow he turned around and started home. He hated not having a car. He hated winter. It was is least favourite season. Coming to a corner he decided to take the long way home through the park. He remembered how he and Sakura would meet there to fight off the constant waves of challengers. All trying to defeat him and Sakura and take the cards. Although the battles were sometimes hard and painful he still liked fighting beside Sakura. He would definitely miss this place when he had to leave. 

Rounding a corner he saw the object of his thoughts. She was just sitting there on the swings. She looked depressed. Maybe he could cheer her up. A plan developed in his mind. If he scared her she would be mad and chase him around the park, hopefully it would at least distract her from her thoughts for the moment. He wasn't too worried about her staying mad at him for long. She never stayed mad at anyone very long. 

Creeping up silently behind her he pounced. His hands clutched her shoulders and he shouted "BOO!" in her ear and leapt back, expecting her to chase him around. But she didn't move. She hadn't even flinched. He began to get worried. Walking around and kneeling in front of her, he lifted her chin and was surprised to find she was cold. Very Cold. Her face was deathly pale. Syaoran started to panic. "Sakura?" he shouted, "Sakura, wake up!". Still no answer. He placed his fingers on her neck to feel for a pulse. There was one but it was very faint. "Shit" he breathed. Taking off his coat and sweater he put them on Sakura and gingerly picked her up. Her head limply fell against him. 'Get her somewhere warm', the voice in his head screamed at him. Ignoring the biting cold, he decided her house was closer and sprinted the few blocks within minutes. 

Arriving at the front door he kicked at it a few times and hoped that someone was home to let them in. He didn't think he could knock down the huge oak door, but he would try if he had to. Luckily that wasn't the case. The door partially opened. Without thinking he forced it the rest of the way open and rushed Sakura to the couch in front of the fireplace. There was a startled shout from whomever was on the other side of the door, but he ignored it. He took out his amulet and summoned his sword. He produced a fire oudufa from his pocket, threw it in the air and hit it with the broad side of his sword. Flames erupted forth and ignited the logs in the fireplace. Intense heat immediately filled the room. He pulled the couch closer to the blaze and started to chip the ice off of Sakura's laces so he could take her boots off. 

Touya was surprised to say the least. That Syaoran kid had practically kicked down the door and had slammed Touya's hand between the handle and the wall when he had forced the door open all the way. After he recovered, he closed the door and followed the kid into the living room. His astonishment from before grew as Syaoran turned an amulet into a sword then ignited the fireplace with a yellow piece of paper. What the Hell was going on here? 

Syaoran's head snapped up as he noticed Touya standing in the living room doorway, quite obviously stunned out of his mind. "Don't just stand there. Help me get these wet cloths off her!" Touya looked at the still figure on the couch. It finally registered that it was his sister. He should have known. The only time that brat ever acted like this was when this girl - his sister - was hurt. With that thought, his brain finally snapped into action. 

He walked over and started to remove Sakura's winter cloths. First a jacket, then a sweater, then... another jacket?? That's when he noticed that Syaoran was only wearing his T-shirt. "Hmm... he really does like her." he thought to himself. His respect for Syaoran went up a few notches. 

They finally managed to get Sakura down to her Tshirt and pants. "Now what do we do? Her pants are soaked right through. We have to get them off of her" said Touya. Syaoran got an idea. He ran to the phone. He couldn't remember any of Sakura's friends numbers so he called the only one he knew. "Takashi?....Hi, Yeah it's me. Thank God you're home. Can you call Chiharu and tell her to get over to Sakura's place right away?.... Great. Thanks.... Bye". He walked back into the living room. "Help will be here shortly." "Great" responded Touya, "Now, are you going to explain what happened and how swords and fire can appear from your hands?" Syaoran groaned. "You saw that?", "I sure did. Now, out with it!" 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

End of this chapter for right now. The rest _should_ be up soon. I think. 

- Laura Li 


	2. Waking Up

Once again. I don't own the characters. 

Thanks to all of you who are reading this. This chapter is a _bit_ longer than the last one. It also gets a bit jumpy, no that's not really the word I'm looking for, I'll try cluttered. There, it's a bit cluttered. Oh and if you really _really_ have to flame please have a reason. Thanks. Now, onward. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

**Snowflakes** - Chapter 2 

Even with the sort version, Syaoran was only just finishing when there was a knock at the door. He bolted off the couch. Sure enough it was Chiharu and Takashi. "Wow. You got here fast!" "Yeah, Takashi got his licence yesterday." Chiharu responded. "But your house is still way across town!" Chiharu and Takashi blushed. "She was kinda already at my house." Takashi explained. Syaoran raised an eyebrow but there was no time for questions right now. 

He grabbed Chiharu's wrist and practically dragged her into the living room. Takashi let out an annoyed "Hey!" but it went unanswered. He followed them into the room, when he saw Sakura he knew why Syaoran had been so hasty. He forgave his friend. After all, he knew how much Syaoran loved Sakura, Hell practically the whole school knew. Excluding Sakura of course. 

"I found her half frozen on a swing in the park ", Syaoran was telling Chiharu, " and I brought her back here. We tried to get her out of her wet cloths, but we can't really go any further." Chiharu understood her mission "alright, where are her new cloths?" Touya stood up. "I'll go get them". He hurried off and returned a minute later. "Here" he said. "Good. Now, out! OUT!" she demanded. "Go into the kitchen and make some chicken noodle soup and some hot chocolate..... NOW!" They hurried out. 

In the kitchen Touya and Syaoran made the soup and the chocolate while Takashi just watched. Finally he broke the silence. "You really love her don't you?" he asked Syaoran. Touya turned around and looked at him but, amazingly, didn't say anything. Syaoran stuttered, "I... I... I," he stopped and looked down. "yes" he whispered. He waited for the impact that was almost surely going to come from Sakura's protective older brother. Nothing happened, and when he looked up, Touya was actually smiling at him. Syaoran shifted nervously. "Well, that fixes a lot of things." he said. "What?" questioned Syaoran, even more confused at what looked to be Touya in a good mood. "Ok." he started, "you're no doubt aware that the last week or so Sakura has been falling into a depression. Well Yuki and I told her that we were moving away to college. Then, a day later, Dad got a promotion which now has him traveling all the time. She tried to be happy for us but we could tell she was clearly slipping downwards." Syaoran still didn't understand how this fixed a lot of things. He raised an eyebrow. Touya continued, "Your apartment is pretty big right? You live alone? Well, Sakura has my permission to move in with you." Syaoran gaped at him. 'What happened to the real Touya, the one that was always yelling death threats at him?' but apparently still had more to say, "but if you so much as harm a hair on her head. I'll kill you." 'There he is!' 

But Syaoran wasn't smiling like Touya thought he'd be. "What's the matter kid?" Takashi spoke up for him, "Syaoran's going back to Hong Kong in two weeks." he said. Touya glared at him, "Why would you want to go back to Hong Kong? You've been living here for 6 years and NOW you want to go home? Planning to go to war now that you're 16?" "What?" said Syaoran, "what war?" Touya snorted, "You haven't been paying attention to the news in your own country? Well apparently one of the clans in HK is getting a new leader, he's just some kid, and he's planning on bringing war to his enemies. Territorial war. All that senseless killing."Touya seemed like he could incinerate anything with the look in his eyes. "Which clan?" Syaoran wanted to know. "Oh I can't remember. But the kid's name is Xiao Lang. Too bad he wasn't here right now. I'd punch some sense into him." Syaoran instinctively took a step back. Big mistake. Takashi and Touya looked at him weird and something occurred to Touya. "Syaoran? What's your name in Chinese?" he asked. Syaoran swallowed, his eyes darting around the room for an escape route, no such luck, Touya had him cornered. 

Touya saw how flighty he got. His guess proved true. 'All this time the kid that's in love with my sister was the murderous bastard that was going to take over the one of the Clans. Make that the 'Li' Clan.' Touya took a step towards him. 'Well he wasn't getting out of here alive.' 

Takashi tried to help his friend. "Does that mean that you're Li Clan Royalty? You're a prince?". His aim was to stop Touya from thinking that killing Syaoran would solve the worlds problems. It didn't work. He tried again, "Why don't you just get one of your brothers to take over instead of you?" that worked a little. Touya hesitated, but Syaoran shook his head. "I don't have any brothers, just four sisters." he muttered. 

Just when it looked like all was lost, Chiharu burst through the door. "Sakura woke up!" she said excitedly. Touya hesitated. Finally deciding to go and see Sakura rather than kill Syaoran right yet. He turned and walked to the livingroom. Syaoran followed cautiously behind. Chiharu was about to follow when Takashi grabbed her hand. "Wait. Give them a minute. Alone together." 

Touya walked up to Sakura and pulled her into a big hug. "You had me worried sick" he said. Sakura didn't respond. She didn't even smile. Her eyes were dull and lifeless. "Sakura? What's wrong?" she looked at him. "Touya, could you please leave Syaoran and I alone, I need to talk to him." "Nuh uh. Now way! Did you know that he is the Xiao Lang that they have been talking about from Hong Kong? There's no way I'm leaving you alone with him." Touya stated firmly. But Sakura just looked at him and said, "Get out now". Grudgingly, he obeyed. 

Sakura looked to Syaoran. "Come here. I have something for you." Syaoran complied and sat beside her on the couch. She pulled out her magical cards. "I don't have the will power to keep these anymore. You should have them." she said, thrusting them into his hands. "B..But Sakura. They're yours." "No Syaoran. I can't take care of them anymore. They need a master who can love them and I don't have any love to give because no one loves me." Syaoran couldn't have asked for it to be set up any better than that and took the opportunity, "But Sakura. I love you." She looked up at him, "But you're leaving." she whispered. "Sakura, your brother told me what was happening here, how you will be living on your own most of the time, and I was already thinking of how to ask you to come with me when I found you in the park. Sakura, I want you to come with me back to Hong Kong." Sakura gasped. "What about your family, your mother, what will she say?" He laughed lightly. "I'm the new leader of the Li Clan remember? She can say what she wants but what I say goes." Sakura smiled. Her eyes were shiny again. "Alright. Sure. I'll come with you. There's nothing tying me to this town anymore anyway." 

All of a sudden Chiharu's voice was heard from the kitchen. "HE'S A PRINCE?!?!?" Then she came running out towards them with Takashi close behind her. "Syaoran is it true? You're a prince?" Syaoran nodded. Sakura smiled from ear to ear. "And he's all mine." Touya entered. "Oh no he's not! There's no way in hell I'm letting you go with him." Sakura stood up to yell at him but wavered and sat back down. She tried again, this time with Syaoran's arms around her. "Touya" she said flatly "I love you and all, but there's no way you can really stop me." Realizing it was the truth, he had nothing else to say. He left the room walked up the stairs and slammed the door to his bedroom. 

Chiharu was in awe. "Wow! Your very own prince charming. That is sooo cool!" Takashi rolled his eyes. "Come on Chira. Lets go." Chiharu hugged Sakura. "Well this is probably one of the last times I'll see you. I'll see if Rika and Naoko want to arrange a goodbye party for you two before you go. Bye Sakura." "Come on Chira. You'll see them later." Takashi had to practically carry her out the door, stopping only to wave and say "see ya later guys" before disappearing out the door. 

Sakura and Syaoran sat back down on the couch to wait for Sakura's dad to come home from work. Sakura was sure he'd say yes. He always agreed to anything as long as it was what she really wanted. Syaoran couldn't have hoped for a happier ending. Well... maybe marriage, but he didn't want to think about it just yet. They were only 16 after all. 

"Oh and Syaoran." "Yes?" "I love you too." Sakura said. Syaoran smiled and Sakura drifted off to sleep. 

THE _(Happy)_ END 

Thanks for reading. Hope you liked it. And of course, I wouldn't be an author if I didn't beg for a review. 

- Laura Li 


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